EXCLUSIVE: Inside 'Charlie's Angels' Star Jaclyn Smith's Decision to 'Never Stop Working' — as Original Cast Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Hit Show
Jaclyn Smith plans to keep working into her 80s.
May 15 2026, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Charlie's Angels alum Jaclyn Smith is in her 80s, but she doesn't plan to stop her fast-paced lifestyle and successful career any time soon, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Most recently, she had a role as "Delia" in the medical drama Dr. Odyssey in 2025, and a guest starring role as "Wendy Fine" in All American. She even made a brief appearance in the 2019 reboot of Charlie's Angels, starring Kristen Stewart, Ella Balinska, Elizabeth Banks and Naomi Scott.
'I Owe It All to Charlie's Angels'
Jaclyn Smith met up with her fellow 'Charlie's Angels' co-stars at PaleyFestLA in April.
Her work doesn't only include acting. She also launched a successful clothing line in 1985, and decades later, her brand has grown to include wigs, skin care, perfume and more!
"I owe it all to Charlie’s Angels, which gave me the opportunity," Smith shared in a 2024 interview, referring to the famed detective show she starred in alongside Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett in the mid-1970s. "I was the first actress who branded her own line at a time when everyone just lent their name to a product."
"Everyone said I shouldn’t do it, but it was probably the best thing I’ve ever done," she gushed. "I feel fortunate because you don’t always get the second go-round."
'I Am at My Best When I Am Working'
Jaclyn Smith said she enjoys 'taking on different chores.'
Smith admitted that her get-up-and-go attitude when it came to work started from a young age.
"I like to work," she added. "I enjoy taking on different chores."
While others might be thinking about retirement in their golden years, Smith is eager to do it all.
"Many people said, ‘Why are you doing this? Why don’t you relax and play with your grandkids?’ I am at my best when I am working," the legendary actress explained. "My family is always my top priority, but somehow, you make it all work."
Getting the Angels Back Together
Jaclyn Smith also met up with cast members for the 2026 Paley Honors Spring Gala in New York City in May.
As Smith approaches her 81st birthday in October, she's still ready to hit the road and revisit the biggest hits of her acting career.
This past April, Smith, Jackson and Cheryl Ladd – whose character premiered on Charlie's Angels in Season 2 – reunited at the Dolby Theatre for a PaleyFestLA as they celebrated the show's 50th anniversary.
One month later, Smith and Jackson were together once again on the red carpet for the 2026 Paley Honors Spring Gala in New York City to continue the celebration.
Jaclyn Smith's 'Angels'-Themed Memoir
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Aside from her public appearances, Smith is also set to release her memoir, I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie, which will hit shelves on September 8.
"When the pilot aired to instant success in 1976, Charlie’s Angels ushered in a TV revolution—for the first time, a network show featured three single female detectives whose stories revolved around fighting crime, not around supporting men. Jaclyn Smith, as Kelly Garrett (the only Angel to lead all five seasons of the show), was propelled into international fame," the summary on Simon & Schuster read.
"But, as Smith writes, she wasn’t born the first day she put on Kelly Garrett’s tiny white bikini. Before Charlie’s, she was a dancer on Broadway from Texas and a prolific commercial actress," the site continued. "Intimate, honest, and down-to-earth, I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie tells the life story of an accomplished woman who has inspired generations of Angels who have come after her."
